Desmond J Morris b. 1928
Desmond Morris is a zoologist turned ethologist whose
observations of humans made the pages of many a bestselling work including The
Naked Ape (1967). Morris covered so much ground that it’s difficult to do
justice to his influence on the study of body language and nonverbal
communication. He studied humans as he had once studied animals, stepping back
and removing prejudices to examine us as subjects of enquiry. Amongst his more
interesting theories are our ‘genetic suggestion’ via anatomy; whilst his
categorising of gestures and actions created terminology that remains in use
today. A true master.
Read Manwatching: A Field Guide to Human Behaviour
(1977) London: Jonathan Cope.
Also by Desmond Morris, I recommend:
Peoplewatching (2002)
Intimate Behaviour (1971)